Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Well, it was one of those days! We had spent the week watching my friends kids while they were in Vienna Austria. (Lucky) They just happened to have three little girls. The youngest a year older than Ellie but still in diapers. Talk about the weight these little girls could accumulate between three of them. I would line them up when it was time to change their diapers. Size one, then two, then three. I stayed home the first three days because the thought of venturing out with seven girls under the age of nine was a little overwhelming.

By day four, we decided to go to a Birthday celebration for fun in the sun. The girls were insistent on a gift so I took on the challenge. What was I thinking! Did I really think this was a good idea? I pondered on the way there as to how I would execute my plan. I would pull up in front of the store and send the two nine year olds in to pick up a few gifts from Dollar Tree. That way I wouldn't have to trek all of them in the store. I sent the girls in at eleven. Soon they would be out, right? Well the first twenty minutes went by without a hitch. And then I smell it. Poop! I get and sniff to see who the culprit is. It's my friend's little girl. So I get her all changed up in the front seat of the van, put it in a bag and I get back in my seat to wait for the girls. They are taking their sweet time so I send Adrie in to hurry them up. Not the brightest idea I know. I can just imagine the girls pondering over the gifts to get with a little arguing on the side. I called Nate and was discussing that I may have to get the rest of the girls out if the girls didn't come out soon when I smelled it. I thought it was the diaper that I just changed, so I grabbed the bag and threw it in the trash can in front of the car. I got back in to smell it again this time overwhelming me. I turn around and let out a yelp. Ellie's hands are covered in poop! She had pooped, but the strategic way she was situated, it had missed her diaper completely! A pile of it (t.m.i. I know) was sitting in her car seat. I think she touched it and as it got on one hand had tried to get it off with the other and then used the car seat to try and get it off both hands in a matter of seconds. Her face expression was pure panic and she uttered the word "stuck". I sat there for a second while pondering how to tackle this job. I grab a plastic bag and a full brick of wipes and start in on the gigantic mess. wipe after wipe after wipe came flying out of the bin leaving a huge pile on the van floor. An older patron came out of the store to see the mess and gave me one of those looks like I was the plague or something. As if I would cause the situation on purpose or something. I ignored her rude glare and continued. Just as I was nearing the fiftieth wipe, the girls came out an hour later after they went in. So I put Ellie in the front passenger seat and told the girls to watch her while I finish cleaning the car seat. As Ellie was playing in the front seat, I hear the girls yelp at the poopy foot prints being stamped on the seat. (Some poop had gotten on her dress that I didn't see when I was changing her and then onto her foot and leg.) Frantic, I grabbed her and put her back in her seat to start cleaning the footprints. This is when the girls alerted me that poop was getting on the car seat again from the dress. I then cleaned the car seat AGAIN and finally learned that I had to get the dress off her. Ugh!!! So another fifty wipes later, we were finally on our way home only to hear Claire fill her diaper. At least that diaper didn't leak. Now I normally am not that scatterbrained but it was one of those days. I didn't ever imagine motherhood to be this way, but hey, I will take it. Mental note: don't call your husband for sympathy. He just laughed and said he was so glad he wasn't there. Which is probably true because if you know him, he gags over everything and I would probably be picking up after him too. (Just so you know, Nate helped me clean the car extra good later that night.) Also, I didn't think a picture was needed for this post.

Ellie's Angels

Grab Ellie's Race Button!

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"Sometimes the pattern of life seems monotonous and discouraging. It is like climbing a mountain and after reaching the top, getting knocked back down to the bottom to climb it again; but I guess the fun is in the climbing and not the arriving!"-Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Our Family

Nate, Becca, Macy, Adrie and Ellie

Ellie's Story

I am the author of this blog, my name is Becca and this is our story. My husband and I have four beautiful girls. Macy, Adrie, Eve (who was stillborn) and Ellie. Ellie is the reason for this blog. She was born with a neuroblastoma in her neck and a coarchtation of the aorta. She has congenital heart disease and severe cardiomyopathy due to a late diagnosis. We are hopeful of the outcome and wanted to share our journey with family and friends.I wanted to update her status as of January 2010. Ellie has physically done well despite her heart not seeing any improvement. We are still in limbo of whether she will need the transplant, but we are hoping to avoid that. The tumor was shrinking, but after the last scan appears to be slightly larger. We have a follow-up MRI in February, so wish us luck on that. She is one year old and talking and trying to stand on her own. She is such a joy to us and her sisters and keeps us all entertained.

Macy

Macy is such a bright personality. She loves to take care of her siblings and is the perfect non-rule breaker. She is such a good example to her little sisters and is very nurturing.

Adrie

Adrie is our spitfire and Is our drama queen of the family. But she is extremely tender hearted and is very observant of others and their feelings.

Eve

"Some people dream of angels, we held one in our arms."

Ellie Marie

This is Ellie! She is the reason behind this blog. She is the bravest strongest girl I know!!!

Claire

The baby of the family of all girls! She has been such a happy go lucky child. She keeps us laughing with her cute and fun personality!